BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
In the Sixth World, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints operates Brigham Young University in Provo, and two satellite Universities in Hawai'i (BYU-Hawai'i) and the Salish-Sidhe Council (BYU-Salish). They also operate a network of Institutes around the old United States of America. BYU is part of the Salt Lake City Anglo-Enclave in the PCC.
Notable ProgramsDepartment of Applied Quantum PhysicsIf you are Magically Active, and you go to Brigham Young University, you have two choices in becoming a full magician. You either join the Mormon Church and get a Temple Recommend (Theurgy), and or you apply to the Egyptology Department and Department of Applied Quantum Physics programs at BYU. The Mormon Church does not follow the Catholic Church -- the Church always believed in Theurgy. Just that Theurgy stays in the Temple and is not taught in University programs. Since the Mormon Church does not recognize most other traditions as valid traditions of study (and actively opposes students of the Black Magic tradition wherever possible) -- the college only teaches two Magician traditions. And they are:
- Applied Quantum Physics (Psionic Tradition)
- Arcano-Egyptology (Egyptian Tradition)
Currently, the Applied Quantum Physics program at B.Y.U. is rivaled in North America only by the programs at Princeton University and MIT&M. Internationally, the BYU Applied Quantum Physics Program is rivaled by Oxford University (in England). While the Arcano-Egyptology Program is rivaled by the Egyptology department at the University of Chicago and internationally, the University of Cairo -- Egypt and Oxford University.
The Applied Quantum Physics program taught at B.Y.U. is based on the Law of Cause and Effect. Magicians applying to the field of study learn that what the other traditions call magic is the manifestation of will, and therefore a strange science and not an art. Magicians coming out of the BYU Applied Quantum Physics program are typically well rounded and often have a greater sense of themselves. Mormon Magicians who graduate with the Psionic Tradition often find themselves subconsciously melding the Psionic Tradition with the Theurgy tradition. In the Mid-21st Century, this means that a new Tradition of Magic is starting ooze itself into being.
Magicians in the Arcano-Egyptology program learn a second rate program and are typically "non-mormons." The program is second rate because the Egyptian magical tradition is treated in a purely academic and historical mode. Magicians who graduate from this program typically still have to piece everything together and or apply to a school with a better program for applying what they have learned.
The list of skills taught is similar to the ones taught at the University of Utah.
Experimental ApproachesThe Applied Quantum Physics program approaches the Tradition in experimental mode. One of the things stressed in the program is that Matter and Energy cannot be created nor destroyed (i.e.
Things cannot be created from Mana), Summoning Objects (rather than Spirits) from the Ether, Teleportation, and Time Travel are valid approaches to the program. The simplicity of such things is converting energy into matter, and vice versa. Every Semester, a group of students would summon a lot of Gold as a prank. Although the summoned gold will often go back into Energy form, making sure that no gold is distributed.
As for Time Travel, the Experiments are fledging and so far: students can only skip back 5 minutes or skip ahead Five minutes. Although there is an Urban Legend among BYU students that one student skipped back to the time of the Creation and back. And as for Teleportation -- it's a valid field and there has been documented studies of students teleporting to London, Vienna, and Neo-Tokyo and back.
Computer Science departmentBasically the same as the University of Utah's, above. However, the University teaches the Cracking Skill Group as "Defensive Hacking" rather than "Offensive Hacking." Hacking offensively is considered bad by the Church, and B.Y.U. teaches the skill group as defensive. However, there are some graduates who enter the Shadows as Hackers and will run the matrix offensively. There are no experimental projects dealing with Technomancers.
Business DepartmentBasically the same as the University of Utah's, as above. However, B.Y.U. doesn't produce many shadowy Faces, as business ethics is taught there, and people learn from a moral perspective rather than an Amoral one. However, many Mega-corporations and small corporations in general want those graduated from the B.Y.U. school of Business.
Archaeology Department (semi-related to Shadowrunning).
B.Y.U.'s Archaeology department has a successful Egyptology program. In fact, they are regularly invited to Egypt on Archaeological digs. Students learn Archaeology and often they tie it into Mormon theology. Arcano-Archaeology is a fledging discipline, and so far B.Y.U. is slow in adopting the program as valid.
ROTCB.Y.U. has an active ROTC program. Drop outs often become Street Samurai, however. Those trained here often find themselves in the army of the PCC. The program is similar to the University of Utah program.
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